The UW System Board of Regents affirmed the “Growth Agenda for Wisconsin’s” progress at its March meeting at UW-Parkside Friday.

UW System President Kevin Reilly and UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley met with UW-Fox Valley Dean Jim Perry among “community and business leaders” recently to tout the Growth Agenda, according to the Regent meeting news summary.

Board of Regents President David Walsh reaffirmed what he said was Gov. Jim Doyle’s clear commitment to the Growth Agenda—the program intended to increase the number of college-educated professionals in the state and boost Wisconsin’s economy under Doyle’s 2007-’09 biennial budget.

Walsh also said he and Reilly testified before the State of Wisconsin Assembly’s Colleges and Universities Committee, where they “clarified unclassified employment procedures and made it clear to the Committee that the UW no longer uses so-called ‘back-up appointments,’” according to the meeting’s news summary.

The UW System came under fire last academic year for its personnel policies after state Legislators discovered former UW-Madison Administrator Paul Barrows was allowed to collect his regular salary while being placed on sick leave after sexual harassment allegations were filed against him. Barrows then was placed into a “back-up” position at the university.

“I’m pleased to say that we can finally put that to bed,” Walsh said at the meeting.